Sanjay Dutt's early release from jail okay, says Bombay HC
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday ruled that there was no violation of rules by the Maharashtra government in releasing actor Sanjay Dutt over eight months before completion of his five-year jail sentence in a case related to the March 1993 Mumbai blasts.
The court also said that the state government had successfully backed its claims on impartiality in the case with valid documents submitted by the Home Department.
A division bench of Justice S.C. Dharmadhikari and Justice Bharati Dange delivered the verdict while disposing off a PIL challenging the remission in Dutt's sentence, as also the "frequent parole and furlough" leaves granted to the actor while serving his sentence in Yerawada Central Jail, Pune.
"We found nothing contrary in the records submitted by the Home Department and the explanation offered. No violations or abuse of discretionary powers were detected," the bench said.
Dutt, who was sentenced to undergo the jail term after being convicted under the Arms Act for illegal possession and destruction of an AK-56 rifle, had spent around one year and four months in prison before trial and another two and half years as a convict between June 2013-February 2016.
During his incarceration in Yerawada Central Jail, the actor was granted bail or furlough for a little over five months on various grounds.
Finally, he walked out a free man on February 25, 2016, eight and half months before completion of his sentence, with the remainder remitted on the basis of his "exemplary conduct" while in jail.
SOCIAL ACTIVIST’S STAND
Mumbai activist Pradeep Bhalekar, who filed the PIL, had claimed that while there were many other inmates with exemplary conduct, only Dutt was favoured by the jail authorities for granting parole/furlough.
Even as the state government denied the charge by the petitioner, the court said the state government must come up with a scheme to ensure that henceforth all convicts' applications for parole or furlough are decided expeditiously and in a transparent manner.
It pointed out that the public or the inmates should not gather the impression that the authorities grant favours in allowing them parole and furlough.
COURT WARNS
The court also warned that PILs must not target any individual or become a "publicity" interest litigation, since the allegations made in the PIL were not substantiated and the matter deserved to be closed.
The state government had already submitted full details of the dates and number of days Dutt stayed out of jail on parole or furlough, the reasons for granting the leave and the procedures followed.
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New study reveals adverse events in some covaxin recipients
New Delhi: A recent study conducted by Sankha Shubhra Chakrabarti and his team at Banaras Hindu University has shed light on adverse events observed in participants who received Covaxin, Bharat Biotech's COVID-19 vaccine.
The study involved 1,024 individuals, comprising 635 adolescents and 291 adults, who were followed up for one year after receiving Covaxin.
Nearly a third of the participants reported adverse events of special interest (AESI) during the observation period. These included viral upper respiratory tract infections, new-onset skin and subcutaneous disorders, general disorders, nervous system disorders, menstrual abnormalities in females, ocular abnormalities, and hypothyroidism.
The study identified several risk factors associated with AESI. Female adolescents and individuals with a history of allergies were found to be at higher risk. Additionally, participants with pre-vaccination COVID-19, comorbidities, and post-vaccination typhoid were also identified as having increased risk.
A significant number of AESIs persisted even at the 1-year follow-up. Female individuals, adolescents with pre-vaccination COVID-19, those with comorbidities, and those with post-vaccination typhoid had higher odds of persistent AESIs.
Among serious adverse events, stroke and Guillain-Barre Syndrome were identified in a small percentage of participants.
The study highlights the importance of extended surveillance of COVID-19 vaccinated individuals to understand the course and outcomes of late-onset adverse events. Focused monitoring for persistent AESIs is recommended, especially for individuals with certain risk factors.
The findings suggest that the patterns of adverse events observed with Covaxin differ from those reported with other COVID-19 vaccines. Understanding these patterns is crucial for effective post-vaccination monitoring and management of potential risks.
